The following article provides an overview of Metadata in Course Evaluations & Surveys and how to use it to unlock new ways of exploring evaluation data.
Introduction to Metadata
Metadata is data that helps describe other data.
In Course Evaluations & Surveys, metadata can be thought of as tags, or useful descriptors related to courses, students or respondents, or instructors.
Metadata is a way to attach characteristics (I.e. A tag about a respondent, instructor, or course), which can then be used in the Course Evaluations & Surveys reporting features to filter results on characteristics outside of the evaluation.
The following are all ways to think about the function metadata can serve: Tags, characteristics, segmentation data, data describing data, keywords.
Example Scenario
An CES Administrator adds metadata to user profiles indicating the year in school of a University student (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior).
Then, using the Report Builder 2.0 metadata filter function, they create a report which only includes respondent data from Juniors.
How to Add Metadata to Users
IMPORTANT:Column headers "MDU_FirstName" "MDU_LastName" or "MDU_UserName" should not be uploaded with user metadata as these headers conflict with our system and will negatively affect some reporting features.
In Course Evaluations & Surveys, metadata can be added to user profiles via the following methods:
Manually
User Metadata Upload File
API
FTP
Manually
In Course Evaluations & Surveys:
Access the respective project.
Click on the Users tab.
Click on the pencil icon of the desired user, located at the end of the row, to enter edit mode.
Click on Optional Metadata to expand.
Click on Add Optional Metadata.
NOTE
Name corresponds to the category of metadata (I.e. Year in School).
Value corresponds to the desired metadata (I.e. Junior).
User Upload File
In Course Evaluations & Surveys:
Access the respective project.
Click on the Users tab.
Click on Data Import > Excel, to access the Upload Excel File page.
Select User File Type: Select User Metadata File.
Click on Choose File and select the appropriate Excel file.
Click on Upload.
User Upload File Format: Column Headers
Username
MDU_(metadata name / category): I.e. MDU_Accommodation
NOTE
The metadata column header name / category must contain the MDU_ prefix.
Only one metadata value can be used for each metadata category per user.
Example username and metadata name/category values:
Overview: Metadata and Metadata Survey Connection to Report Builder 2.0
Workflow
Add Metadata to Course or User.
Metadata attached to Course or User matches values entered in Metadata Survey.
Metadata Survey creates Metadata Filters for Report Builder 2.0.
Illustration: Relationship of Metadata Survey to Metadata Upload
Illustration: Relationship of Metadata Survey to Report Builder 2.0
